Adjustable bed



M. LINDQUIST ADJUSTABLE BED Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1947 INVENTOR 5 Mam AZI'QRNEK Sept. 19, 1950 I M. LlNDQUlST ADJUSTABLE BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1947 INVENTOR BY f ATTORNEK Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE BED v I Marie Lindquis t, San Francisco, Calif. Application October 23, 19147, setialim. 781,607

5 Claims.

. 1 This inventionrelates to improvementsin adjustable beds. An objectof my invention is to provide an adjustable bed having novel means for raising and lowering either or both of fits'ends.

Another object of my invention is to provide "a novel bedadapted for hospital and other uses, embodying 'hand'opera'ted means by which either the foot or head ends. of the bed may be raised or lowered orthesupporting frame of the bed may be vertically adjusted to position the occupant at a desiredheight above the floor level.

Other and furtherobjects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated inthe appended claims, or will be obviousto one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this'application I haveelectecl to show herein certain forms and details of an adjustable bed representativeof my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and 'describedis for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention in the" art.

In the accompanying drawings: a

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of an adjustablebed embodying the principlesof my invention, showing by the broken lines the supporting frame in a raised position;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the bed; a

Fig. 3 ista side view of the bed showing the head endthereof in a raised position;

I Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the foot end of the bed in a raised position; a V

Fig. 5is an enlargedsectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and a Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the means employed inadjusting the bedto different positions.

The frame of the bed whichordinarily supports the springs and mattress embodies a head portion I, a foot portion 2 and an intermediate connecting portion 3. Both "of the head" and foot portions. I and! have depending tubular legs 4 which are aligned with upwardly extending tu r os s The means for vertically adjusting the frame asfa whole or either of the; head or foot portions I and 2 with respect to the other embodies a jrnechanism which is preferably housedfwithin the tubular members of the bed frame.

Positioned in each leg 5 is a non-rotatable supporting shaft which has an upper threaded portion 6 and a lower squared or otherwise suitably shaped portion 6', the latter having a caster I mounted thereon. The lower portion '6" of each shaft extends through a fixed collar 8 which prevents the rotation of the shaft. Openatively engaging with the threaded portion t of each shaft is a nut 9 which carries a bevel gear II], thesaid nut havin an annular groove II therein into which a pin or screw I2 secured to .a leg 4 extends. The screws I2 are secured to the legs 4 and they permit the rotation of the nuts 9 but not the up or down movement thereof with respect to the legs. Engaging with each bevel gear I0 is a similar gear I 3 which is connected by an inwardly disposedhorizontal connecting rod I4 to a bevel gear I5. Each connectingrod I4 is rotatably mounted in bearings I6 supported on the frame The bevel gears l5 associated with the head portion of the bed frame are arranged for operative engagement with a similar bevel gear I'I secured to the forward end of a shiftable and rotatable operatin shaft l8 which is supported in bearings I9 carried on the bed frame. The

operating shaft I8 extends rearwardly through a of the bed frame, depending on the particular position of the operating shaft I8. The bevel gear I1 is connected by a suitable spline arrangement to the forward end of the operating shaft I8, thereby making it. possible for the said gear to, slide forwardly or rearwardly on the said shaft a and at the same time rotate therewith. A helical a the bed framaa-nd vice versa. Thus'when the gear 23 is meshed with its associated gears t5 the footportion 2 of the bed frame may be raised or lowered by turning the crank 2|, and when the gear I! is meshed with its associated gears. I5 the head portion I of the bed frame may be vertically adjusted. To permit both ends of the bed frame to be simultaneously raised or lowered the gear 12 must be in engagement with the gears I associated with the foot portion 2 of the bed frame at the same time the gear I! is connected to its associated gears. The gears l1 and 22 are so arranged that the latter does not engage with its associated ears until the shaft [8 has been progressively shifted in a rearward direction sufficiently to first bring the gear 22 into engagement with its associated gears l5 and then to a further extent (permitted by the contraction of the compression spring 24) to effect the engagement of the gear 22 with the rearwardly disposed gears [5. Thus when both of the gears l1 and 22 are respectively meshed with their associated gears IS, the bed frame as a unit may be vertically adjusted by turning the operating shaft 18.

The means employed for shifting the operating shaft [8 includes the following mechanism. The housing is internally threaded to permit a spirally grooved cam member 25 to operatively engage therewith. The cam member 25 has a handle 26 on its outer end and its inner end is formed with an annular groove 27 within which is rotatably confined an annular flange 28 secured to the operating shaft I8. By turning the handle 26 in a certain direction the cam member 25 is moved forwardly, thereby shiftin the operating shaft in the same direction and thus effecting the engagement of the gear 23 with its associated gears I5. By turning the cam member in the opposite direction to a predetermined extent the operating shaft [8 is shifted rear- Wardly to effect the connection of the gear I! with its associated gears l5, and when the cam member is further turned in this same direction the shaft is shifted still farther to the rear to also effect the engagement of the gear 22 with its associated gears 15. It will be noted that the threaded portions 6 of the supporting shafts at the left hand side of the bed frame have right hand threads while those on the right hand side have left hand threads, it being necessary to have the supporting shafts at opposite sides of the bed frame oppositely threaded to permit the proper raising and lowering of the head and foot ends of the bed frame.

When the cam 25 has once been adjusted to effect the suitable shifting of the operating shaft l8 to position certain gears in operative engagement with one another, the crank 2! is turned in a direction required to effect the desired adjustment of the bed frame. As the then connected set or sets of gears [5 are rotated the nuts 9 associated with the latter are also rotated and are thereby made to move either upwardly or downwardly on the screw portions 6 of their 1 frame having tubular front and rear legs, a nonrotatable threaded supporting member positioned in and extending below each leg, a rotatable nut operatively engaging with each threaded supporting member, means connecting each nut with its associated leg whereby the leg may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the adjustment of the nut on its associated threaded member, and means for selectively rotating the nuts of either the front legs or the rear legs or all of the nuts simultaneously.

2. An adjustable bed comprising a supporting frame having front and rear pairs of tubular legs, a non-rotatable threaded supporting member positioned in and extending below each leg, a rotatable nut mounted in each leg and operatively engagingwith each threaded supporting member, and arranged for vertical adjustment thereon, each of the said nuts being rotatably connected with its associated leg but not longitudinally adjustable therein, whereby the leg may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the adjustment of the nut on its associated threaded member, means for selectively rotating the nuts associated with either the front or rear pair of legs or the nuts of both pair of legs simultaneously.

3. An adjustable bed comprising a supporting frame having front and rear pairs of tubular legs, a non-rotatable threaded supporting member positioned in and extending below each leg, a rotatable nut mounted in each leg and operatively engaging with each threaded supporting member and arranged for vertical adjustment thereon, each of the nuts being rotatably connected with its associated leg but not longitudinally adjustable therein, whereby the said leg may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the vertical adjustment of the nut on its associated threaded member, a gear secured to each nut, and means for selectively rotating the gears of either pair of legs or the gears of both pairs of legs simultaneously.

4. An adjustable bed comprising a supporting frame having front and rear pairs of tubular legs, supporting screws mounted in and extending below the legs, rotatively adjustable nuts mounted in the legs and engaging with the supporting screws and arranged for up and down adjustment thereon, the said legs being supported from the adjustable nuts, and means for selectively adjusting the nuts associated with either the front or the rear pair of legs or both pairs of legs simultaneously.

5. An adjustable bed, supporting frame having front and rear pairs of tubular legs, non-rotatable externally threaded members positioned in and extending below the legs, rotatable internally threaded elements adjustably engaging with the threaded members and arranged in connected and supporting relationship with the legs, and means for simultaneously rotating the elements of either pair of legs or all of the elements simultaneously, whereby either pair of legs or all of the legs may be vertically adjusted with respect to the floor.

MARIE LINDQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

